• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.144-181
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• 1998

The main purpose of this study is to understand the socio-cultural adaptation and life-styles of the Chinese and Korean immigrants in Vancouver, Canada. Of interest are the immigration policies of the Canadian government and formation of the Chinese and Korean minority societies in Vancouver. Attention is given to estimating the size of the Korean population in Vancouver, utilizing the listings of telephone directory and the proportion of surname Kims in the Korean population. This paper focuses on explaining the distinctive adaptation patterns and socio-cultural characteristics of the Chinese and Korean immigrants. A conceptual scheme of socio-cultual adaptation of the minority immigrants, which is hypothesized as a function of the participation to the host society and the cultural identity, is also developed in this paper. Findings of the analysis suggest that the Chinese and Korean population in Vancouver witnessed a rapid growth since the mid 1980s, when the Canadian government launched the immigration programs for investors and entrepreneurs. It appears that the Chinese and Korean immigrants hold strong ethnic identity and maintain cultural traditions and life-styles of their own. While Chinese immigrants are characterized by active participation to the host society, Korean immigrants tend to confine themselves to the Korean enclave, and thus keep a certain distance from the host society. This appears to be particularly true for the Koreans who immigrated with a status of investor or entrepreneur. As the key force behind the ethnic differences in their adaptation, the role of voluntary associations is stressed. Finally, the future prospects of the Chinese and Korean societies and their acculturation are discussed in this study.